Heartstrings: Alex
by CelestialSerpent23
Summary: Alex's feelings about his dad being in surgery after his heart attack in the three part story "Heartstrings". A little sliver of Alex/Lauren stuff.


"I'm very worried about my dad." Alex admitted softly to his sisters Jennifer and Mallory, to his girlfriend Lauren, and Mallory's boyfriend Nick. Their father had had a heart attack, and he has been in surgery for over five hours. Alex wiped his eyes as Lauren wrapped her arms around him as they sat on the couch together.

"Well it's nice to know you're actually human, Alex," Mallory replied.

"Let's not go jumping to conclusions Mallory." Jennifer added, grinning as she glanced at her brother.

Then Nick joined in. "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey….let's not be picking on Alex, huh? He's made a psychological breakthrough here and one can be quite vulnerable at such a time." He stood up for the teen. "Uhh…am I right Doc?" He asked Lauren. She was a psychologist.

"That's right Nick," She praised him, leaning into Alex as he leaned into her. "How'd you know that?"

"Well one can see by looking at him that he's very vulnerable," Nick stated, gesturing to the boy. He was biting on the corner of the pillow that was on his lap. He yanked it until it popped from his mouth.

Lauren smiled. "He is, and he's very sweet and very adorable, and I love him very much."

Alex added with a smirk, "Did you hear that?"

"Yes and I'm glad we're in a hospital," Jennifer answered him. That's when Elyse, the mother of Alex, Jennifer, and Mallory, and also Andy who was there beside her, broke in.

"Everyone stop being mean to Alex. There'll be plenty of time for that at home. Let's just…everybody sit quietly and wait." She instructed her children, staring mournfully into the distance, not really focusing on anything but her thoughts.

The room grew silent, and everybody was suddenly hit with the feeling of being tired. Mallory and Nick cuddled into a chair together and dozed off and Jennifer curled up and dozed too. Alex though, he sunk into his girlfriend's arms, just gazing ahead of him. "What am I gonna do Lauren?" He questioned her quietly. "What if…what if he…doesn't make it? What will I do then?"

"Alex, don't think like that. You know that your father is a strong man; he's not gonna let some stupid heart attack beat him." She replied.

Alex was silent for a while before he spoke again. He sighed, and then responded, "I hope you're right Lauren." His voice was hoarse as he spoke that last sentence, and tears started to roll down his cheeks. "Because…." He tried to say, barely able to through the tears and the weird gooey feeling in his throat that always seemed to form when he was crying. "Because if you aren't and I…lose my dad, I…..I don't know what I'd do. I just don't know."

"He'll make it, I promise. Now why don't you try to get some rest? You look like you need it."

Alex looked up at his girlfriend. "But what if something happens? Who's gonna know? Everyone else is asleep,"

"I'll stay awake." Lauren offered sweetly.

"But….."

"Alex," She stated quietly, stroking the back of his head, "it's okay, you can lie down. I insist." When he just stared at her, she began to beg him. "Please Alex? For me? You could catch something if you don't get enough sleep."

Alex rolled his eyes, mostly joking, and then he stretched out across the couch, laying his head in his girlfriend's arms. She gently ran her fingers through his hair, every so often looking down at him to make sure he would actually go to sleep. Surprisingly, when Lauren whispered Alex's name not ten minutes after he'd closed his eyes, the boy didn't move. "Alex," She repeated, still softly stroking his hair. His breathing was slow and soft, indicating that he was definitely asleep, finally. Lauren smiled, and then she stopped stroking his hair. She leaned over him and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek, feeling his warm, soft breaths brush against her face. When she pulled her head back up, Lauren saw that Elyse and Andy were awake.

"Okay, now I can rest….." Lauren whispered, sinking into the couch and relishing the way it felt to have her boyfriend peacefully resting in her arms. She eventually fell asleep to the sound of Alex breathing in and out, so calmly that it was practically a lullaby to her ears.**  
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